Cursed Heroine

Chapter 12: Leaving Parnam

Over the next three days, I continue to dedicate myself to practice in anticipation for our departure. I’ve received three books from grandpa Sven which contain the next two stages of runes. Two for stage three and one much smaller book for stage four. He even gave me a sack full of stage two mana crystals, which earned him a light peck on the cheek and a big smile from me. Don’t underestimate the value of that sack of small crystals. There’re more than one hundred of them in that sack and each one represents one hundred points of increase of my intelligence attribute. The stage one crystals I’ve been using up till now can only be used for ten points each. During the past three days, I’ve been persistently bullied by a certain prince’s lackeys whenever I would leave Sophia’s side to carry out my duties. What she had said about them using such tactics came true, to absolutely zero success of course. He even tried to entice me by using Sarah, who has had her personality completely rewritten by merit of her contract. No longer is she the shy little girl I once knew. I will kill him, just not until I’m strong enough to get away with it. We will leave the city heading directly west toward the capital of Belgra, located near the northern edge of their border with the kingdom of Norvac. 

Morning of departure.

“Good morning, Lilia. Ready to go?”~Sophia

“Good morning, Mistress. Would it matter if I wasn’t?”~me

“Not at all. Help me clean up and get dressed, I’ll wear the gown from the party for the departure and change in the carriage into something more comfortable.”~Sophia

“Yes, Mistress. I will get some light food from the kitchen for breakfast, but be sure not to eat too much or the ride may become unpleasant.”~me

“Thank you for the reminder.”~Sophia

The morning goes smoothly and I take one last look at my status before we depart…

<Status> +[disguised stats], -[hidden stats]
Name: Lilia | Age: 20 | Sex: Female
+Race: {Vampire(50%)}{Blood demon(25%)}{Dragon(20%)}{Dryad(5%)}
Cultivation Stages: {Body: 1(20%)}{Mind: 2(32%)}{Spirit: 0}{Divine: 1(0%)}{Law: 0}
Energy Reserves: {Qi: 100/100}{Mana: 1000/1000}{Spirit: 10/10}{Divine: 30/30}
Attributes: Str: 100(50%) | Vit: 100(50%) | Agi: 100(50%) | Int: 1000(50%)
Soul Potential: 3
<Skills>
{passive}
[Sense Mana 1]
-[Soul Devourer 1], [Sense Presence(activate: 9sp)], [Sense Intent 1]
{active}
[Mana Control 1], [Mana Shaping 1]
-[Shadowmeld 1], [Contract(activate: 19sp)]

Sophia shares her current status with me with a thought…

<Status>
Name: Sophia | Age: 23 | Sex: Female
Race: {Wood Elf(50%)}{Human(50%)}
Cultivation Stages: {Body: 1}{Mind: 2}{Spirit: 0}{Divine: 0}{Law: 0}
Energy Reserves: {Qi: 100/100}{Mana: 600/600}{Spirit: 10/10}{Divine: 0/0}
Attributes: Str: 100 | Vit: 100 | Agi: 100 | Int: 600
Soul Potential: 120
<Skills>
{passive}
[Sense Mana 3], [Sense Presence 2], [Sense Danger 1]
{active}
[Mana Control 2], [Mana Shaping 2]

Sophia had been practicing hard as well when she noticed how much effort I had been making on her behalf. I used up nearly all of my sp to activate the shadowmeld skill. From what I have read about the skill, I’m hoping it will be useful to make us disappear. Although the skill uses mana to activate, it leaves no trace. It uses one hundred mana per second of use, but practically turns the user into a shadow. The mana usage increases with additional ‘loads’ and can only be used in places with shadows present.

We are sent off with little fanfare, escorted by twenty royal guards, four of whom are elites. I won’t feel safe using up all my energy to cultivate while we are on the move, so I plan to cultivate half my energy in the morning and another half in the evening, giving it time to fully recharge between sessions. Sophia said she is near her breakthrough in qi, so she will be using most of the time to advance her body to stage two. We are scheduled to arrive at the border city, Kellor in two weeks time. Along the way, the escorts kill any bandits too dumb to hide or arrogant enough to directly challenge them. I managed to get a number of sp as well as the sense danger skill. We ran into our first major annoyance on the night of the fourth day.

“Welcome, Princess, to my humble abode.”~Lord Grisley

Earl Grisley is the lord of the region we are currently in and this city, Kardu, is his home. As per tradition of nobility he has graciously arrange rooms in his manse for our stay tonight and hosted a banquette in the princess’s honor.

“Princess Sophia, what do you think about my home, anything lacking or inadequate?”~Lord Grisley

“It doesn’t compare to the castle of course, but is much more accommodating than the inns we have stayed in along the way.”~Sophia

“Oh, yes. It must be dreadful to stay in the shabby inns of those run down towns. Unfortunately, the economy of my territory has suffered due to the constant border conflicts. I’m looking forward to the mending of relations that your impending nuptials will bring. My territory has much to gain from the opening of trade with our neighbor once again, however short it may last.”~Lord Grisley

“Lilia, what does he mean? I heard the words he said, but I somehow feel that he has a hidden meaning in them. What could Belgra have to trade that would warrant such extensive measures to ensure trade?”~Sophia

“Mistress, he is referring to the quick rate that your fiance tends to go through women. He believes that trade will only resume for a short while. Please do not show any reaction to my next words. As far as I know, the only trade to ever come from Belgra that is unique, is demi slaves.”~me

“Perhaps. I’m feeling tired from my long journey. Thank you for the meal, but I would like to adjourn to my quarters now to rest.”~Sophia

“Of course. You have a long journey ahead of you. Have a pleasant night, Princess.”~Lord Grisley

We make our way to the room and prepare for bed. There is something wrong. She has been acting way too quiet and compliant to my groping. Checking on her condition more carefully, I notice that she is nearly asleep on her feet. She has been drugged! Clarity is immediately restored once I cast a blessing on her.

“Mistress, you were drugged. I used a blessing on you. How do you feel now?”~me

“Thank you, Lilia. Why target me with a sleeping drug though?”~Sophia

“I don’t believe you were the intended target. Earlier when I was given my own food, I sensed danger from it. I of course didn’t eat it. Dosing you with a sleeping drug is probably the backup plan. Most likely, someone will come for me during the night while you sleep.”~me

“I’m not going to be sleeping when they come now though. What do we do? Should we gather the guard and leave tonight?”~Sophia

“You should sleep. I will wake you when they come. There is no guarantee that your guard don’t already know about this. When they come, pretend to be asleep. If they merely intend to capture me, let them.”~me

“Why would you agree to being captured and what if they intend to kill you?”~Sophia

“They most likely will not kill me in the room. Too messy for them to cover up the truth that way. I will probably be taken to a cell or something and if I’m lucky, the lord will come explain things to me in order to boast. This is an opportunity to find out the truth behind these matters. These actions are a little too bold for this little lord to do on his own initiative.”~me

“How do you plan to escape once you are captured? Your energy will undoubtedly be sealed with sealing manacles.”~Sophia

“I have my ways. Once you are no longer under your father’s thumb, I will tell you everything I have kept from you.”~me

“I have always suspected that you are just hiding your true power. Very well, but if things go south, I’m coming to get you.”~Sophia

They come for me just as the night turns darkest. I wake Sophia as planned and she remains in bed, pretending to sleep. A light knock on the door was the method chosen to separate me from her. Answering the knock, a maid informs me that they have noticed a problem with our carriage and it requires my attention. I’m ambushed in a corridor on the way to the carriage and placed in magic sealing manacles after a brief, weak struggle. My attackers are a team of three lady knights, they were obviously informed about my clothes. I’m dragged to the basement and thrown in a cell. A short while later, the lord dropped by as predicted.

“You weren’t nearly as much trouble as I was told you would be. I was a little worried when you didn’t eat the meal specially prepared to weaken you, but it ended up being me overthinking things.”~Lord Grisley

I scrunch my eyebrows to indicate my confusion.

“Ah, I almost forgot that you can’t talk. Well, I don’t mind clearing up your confusion seeing as how you will never see the light of day again. We can’t have a summoned hero falling into the hands of an adversary. I was suppose to kill you and make it look as though you ran away, but I can earn an enormous sum of money for a pretty thing like you, even if men are unable to touch you.”~Lord Grisley

When he then turns his back to leave, I use my shadowmeld skill. Since it is a skill that doesn’t require me to control my mana, the typical sealing techniques are useless. The material of sealing manicules only causes energy to become unresponsive to your control. Shadowmeld uses mana directly once activated. I materialize behind him while covering his mouth with one hand and kicking the backs of his knees causing him to kneel. Grabbing the back of his head, I snap his neck. I prepare a few spells internally, ready to externalize and activate at a moments notice, and then move out the door with shadowmeld. Taking the lady knights from earlier by surprise, I simultaneously cast silence and multiple icicle spells, swiftly ending their lives. I then use my magic to clean up the bodies and erase all traces. Quickly, I locate the maid from earlier. To be thorough, I dispose of her and the butler who was waiting with her. Then I make my way back to our room and snuggle up with Sophia to rest.